McLaren delivered one of the most eye-catching qualifying performances of the 2025 Formula 1 season during Austrian GP Qualifying, with Lando Norris capturing pole position by more than half a second. McLaren‘s performance in the session at the Red Bull Ring wasn’t just another highlight for the team, it left experts and rivals alike searching for answers as Norris outpaced even the fastest competitors on the grid.
With the Red Bull Ring’s short lap and tightly matched field, nobody expected such a dominant margin. Even with McLaren entering the Austrian GP as pre-event favourites, the 0.531 second gap to Charles Leclerc came as a shock. Team principal Andrea Stella was quick to explain how a blend of technical innovation and human resilience set the Woking squad apart.
“There are a few corners here in which we could see from the GPS overlays that our car was able to carry a significant amount of speed and this one I think has to do with where our car is optimised from a development point of view,” Stella said.
The Upgrades and Personal Growth That Made the Difference
A closer look at the lap data shows that while Max Verstappen achieved slightly higher top speeds on the main straights, it was through the flowing, high-speed sections that Norris pulled out a decisive advantage.
“We had some improvements of the front suspension from an aerodynamic point of view which was part of a front-end system upgrade; front wing, front brake, front suspension,” explained Stella. “There are also some modifications to the chassis and this has allowed us to deliver more aerodynamic efficiency, so more grip for a given level of drag.”
Stella also gave credit to Norris for his mental strength, particularly after the incident in Montreal with teammate Oscar Piastri.
“We see that Lando is very resilient. Even if we had some little issues, definitely we have always bounced back stronger, and even more convincing. So, credit to the work that Lando has done from a technical point of view but also from a personal development point of view. And this is typical of all the champions, they never stay in the same place,” said Stella.
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The technical upgrades were only part of the story. McLaren’s aerodynamic group and engineers were praised for refining the car to suit the specific demands of the Austrian circuit, which features a blend of long straights and challenging corners.
Rivals Struggle While McLaren Thrive in the Austrian Heat
While McLaren enjoyed their technical breakthrough, the competition faced setbacks. Ferrari brought a new floor, but the gains were incremental, and Mercedes struggled with the high temperatures and abrasive surface, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli unable to repeat their Canadian GP form.
Red Bull had a particularly difficult session, as both Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda found themselves complaining of grip and balance issues. Team boss Christian Horner pointed to the rising temperatures for pushing the car outside its optimal range, leaving both drivers off the front rows.
Despite the strong showing, Stella remains cautious. He warned, “Ferrari is always good when there’s the need for long stints, and when there’s uncertainty between one and two stops, they could be able to do a one-stop. Let’s see, at the moment we don’t know exactly what it’s going to be strategically. And I would certainly not discount Verstappen either.”
